Notre Dame football landed another massive commitment on Tuesday evening from 2027 Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic defensive end Jackson Vaughn. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish were able to beat out LSU, Miami, Auburn, and South Carolina for the dynamic pass rusher. This 2027 defensive line class took another step toward a historic run.

With Vaughn now in the class, defensive line coach Charlie Partridge has put together the foundation for an elite group. The Fighting Irish also hold commitments from five-star defensive tackle David Folorunsho and top-100 defensive end Aidan O’Neil, which is an outstanding three-man class so far. Freeman, Partridge, and Co. now have a path to signing their best defensive line class in a very long time.

The finish will determine just how elite a class this is, but there are several top targets that remain on the board. It will be exciting to see what magic Partridge can have down the stretch.

What’s next after the Vaughn addition?

The next step for Partridge and the Irish staff will be to close on the remaining top targets on the board. That includes 2027 Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East pass rusher Abraham Sesay, a player that Notre Dame is in a great spot with. I also think that the Irish are trending in a great direction with Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice defensive tackle Brayden Parks. That recruitment has been a bit up and down, but Notre Dame won’t go away.

Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou is another five-star player that Notre Dame continues to push for. This will be a Notre Dame-Ohio State battle down the stretch. Wellington (Fla.) Palm Beach Central defensive tackle Tyler Alexander and Rabun Gap (Ga.) Nacoochee standout Segun Alexander are also a couple of other targets to keep a close eye on.

Jackson Vaughn’s recruiting background

Despite recently being reclassified to the 2027 recruiting class, Vaughn is considered a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, he currently ranks as the No. 244 overall player, the No. 22 EDGE, and the No. 5 player from the state of New Jersey for the class. That rating promises to increase heading into a big 2026 senior season.

If the rankings don’t get you excited, then Vaughn’s offer list sure would, now holding 50 offers to his name. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami, Florida State, USC, Auburn, South Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington, Louisville, Maryland, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Virginia, West Virginia, SMU, NC State, Georgia Tech, UNC, UCF, Illinois, Boston College, Syracuse, Duke, Cal, Rutgers, and Purdue, among many others.

As a sophomore in 2025, Vaughn put together a tremendous season. The 6-4, 225-pound pass rusher recorded 40 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks. Vaughn also broke up three passes for one of the better defenses in all of high school football. He is lightning quick off the ball with tons of bend and closing speed.